Mission World - January/February 2020

Pope Francis sends message to leaders of World Food Programme

‘Each human being has a right to healthy and sustainable nutrition’ Pope Francis

In November 2019, Pope Francis sent the following message for the Opening of the Second Regular Session of the Executive Board of the World Food Programme.

The Rome-based United Nations agency is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, addressing hunger and promoting food security in the world. It assists 86.7 million people in around 83 countries each year.

Message of the Holy Father

To Mr David M Beasley

Executive Director of the World Food Programme

At the beginning of this new session, you are seeking to formulate practical initiatives aimed at making more effective the fight against hunger in the world.

In many places, our brothers and sisters do not have access to sufficient and healthy food, while in others, food is discarded and squandered. This is what my predecessor Saint John Paul II called the paradox of abundance, which continues to be an obstacle to resolving the problem of feeding humanity.

This paradox involves mechanisms of superficiality, negligence, and selfishness that underlie the culture of waste. Unless we recognize this dynamic and seek to contain it, it will be difficult to honour the commitments of the Paris Agreement on climate change and realize the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.

Accomplishing this objective is the responsibility not only of international organizations and governments but of everyone. Families, schools, and the communications media have an important task in educating and raising awareness in this regard. No one can be considered exempt from the need to combat this culture that oppresses so many people, especially the poor and vulnerable in society.

The World Food Programme contributes to this cause by recently launching its global campaign Stop the Waste, highlighting the fact that food waste damages the lives of many individuals and prevents the progress of peoples.

If we wish to build a future where no one is left behind, we must create a present that radically rejects the squandering of food. Together, without losing time, by pooling resources and ideas, we can introduce a lifestyle that gives food the importance it deserves. This new lifestyle consists in properly valuing what mother Earth gives us, and will have an impact on humanity as a whole.

I assure you that the Catholic Church is working to foster solidarity among all people and desires to cooperate with the World Food Programme by reaffirming that each human being has a right to healthy and sustainable nutrition.

May your commitment and dedication awaken in all people of goodwill the desire to build a new and better world under the banner of fraternity, justice and peace. May God bless all those who walk on this path.

© Libreria Editrice Vatican, November 18, 2019.

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Mission Intention for January

We pray that Christians, followers of other religions, and all people of goodwill may promote peace and justice in the world.

Mission Intention for February

We pray that the cries of our migrant brothers and sisters, victims of criminal trafficking, may be heard and considered.

We ask your prayers:

The prayers of our readers are requested for the repose of the souls of friends and benefactors of the Missionary Society of St Columban who died recently and for the spiritual and the temporal welfare of all our readers, their families and friends.

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